Acute Doc Shortage Sparks Crisis at Kozhikode Medical College

The institution is plagued by mass transfers and rising patient load; staff crunch is not only impacting patient care but also disrupting medical education

- EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @Kozhikode

The Government Medical College Hospital (MCH) in Kozhikode is reeling under a severe crisis caused by an acute shortage of doctors across departments. The crisis has been triggered by a mass transfer of doctors to other government medical colleges, particularly in Kasaragod and Wayanad, as part of a work arrangement ahead of upcoming National Medical Commission (NMC) inspections.

Adding to the woes, those who completed their PG training from Kozhikode are now being posted to Wayanad, Manjeri, and Kasaragod, while the institution they trained in suffers from severe under-staffing.

In recent weeks, 41 doctors from the government medical colleges in Kozhikode, Thrissur, and Kannur were transferred to Kasaragod Medical College, of which 20 were from Kozhikode. Earlier this month, another 20 staff members, including 11 doctors from Kozhikode, were moved to Wayanad Medical College in anticipation of the NMC inspection there—an inspection that is yet to take place. While these doctors remain stationed in Wayanad under temporary work arrangements, the functioning of Kozhikode MCH has taken a serious hit.